weeks later
The detective was walking with difficulty
through the bushes.
Tor
ch in hand, he tried
to reach the scene of the fatal accident.
What would have led these teenagers
to risk their lives in such a dark place?
In the darkness he saw a slight glow
.
It was a horse-drawn carriage. Odd,
what would it be doing just parked there?
No one was inside, but what the poor
unfortunate man found left him speechless
and paralysed.
On a half-broken tablet he found some
horrifying photographs in the gallery
.
T
wo
of them showed paintings made years
ago. Now that was suspicious.
Th
e mansion
had burned down with its inhabitants more
than a century ago. How could they have
taken those pictures?
His legs did not respond. With a last breath
of air he managed to pull himself back and
run into the forest as fast as he had ever
run before.
The structure was badly deteriorated. It was
impossible for the students to have gone in
there.
Th
ere was little left of the place.
The detective moved a little further
.
He could
hear the sound of the waves crashing against
the rocks of the cliffs.
A s
torm was
approaching.
A b
ig storm. Perhaps he should
postpone the search for the boys and girls.
He had arrived at the scene of the accident.
Poor guys.
The terrified detective took a quick
glance upwards. What he
discovered made his blood run cold.
W
ai
t.
Th
at was...
blood
?
What…?
What was that?
It looked like a sacrificial
altar
.
No, it couldn't be. He had to run away from
that cursed nightmare at that very moment.
The fearful man turned around with such
bad luck that he fell into a very deep hole.
He had no time to think.
A w
hisper
reached his ears from close by
.
Just a moment. Something caught his eye.
A
s
mall esplanade opened up through the forest.
Oh, yes!
Th
e
Garden of Sleep
.
It was said that all kind souls were resting there.
After several minutes without stopping he
decided to look back.
Th
ere was no sign of
those creatures.
My friend. Shall you join my
eternal family and play a game?
Darkness
lasted forever
.